The last person (a woman in her 70s) who lived on Kuroshima island, Goshima city, Nagasaki passed away this summer making the island with no resident.

Kuroshima island had 36 families, total of ca 200 people living about 70 years ago. The main industry was fishery. Many moved out for schools and jobs. There was only one resident in the last several years.

All people left the island. We wondered what made this woman stay there? But we often notice that many people in rural areas of Japan do not want to move out of their home towns even almost all people deserted the area. It is the town they grew up and their ancestors tried to make life. The field, forest, ocean, river, the graveyards of old generations etc.  We can somewhat understand.

We hope the woman had a happy life.

The shuttle boat to the island from Fukuejima island (located 7km away therefrom) stopped on the end of Sept 2021.

No one living there any longer does not mean you can go there and live there freely. The lands still belong to each owners and you are not allowed to intrude the areas.

Goto city government official website

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